Politics

Bristol Palin pregnant with second child

Bristol Palin, the daughter of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, is pregnant with her second child, according to a post on her blog Thursday.

Bristol, who entered the public sphere when her first pregnancy was disclosed shortly after her mother was announced as Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate in 2008, struck a bittersweet note with the post.

"Honestly, I've been trying my hardest to keep my chin up on this one," she wrote.

Bristol was 17 when she became pregnant with her son, Tripp. Following the pregnancy, she earned more than $260,000 as an abstinence ambassador for Candie's Foundation, a New York-based organization dedicated to reducing teen pregnancy.

Now 24, she's since written a book about her experience as a teen mother, starred in a reality show and appeared on "Dancing With the Stars." She became engaged to Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer in March, but the engagement was called off in late May.

She's spent recent years speaking out on various issues from the platform of her blog. That's where she announced her pregnancy Thursday.

"I know this has been, and will be, a huge disappointment to my family, to my close friends, and to many of you," Palin wrote. "But please respect Tripp's and my privacy during this time. I do not want any lectures and I do not want any sympathy."

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